ATTACK ON CHINESE WORKERS IN BISHAM.

LAHORE  -  Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that the incumbent government was taking all possible measures to strengthen the national economy and the economy and the industry both were showing positive signs.

Addressing a press conference here at the PML-N’s Secretariat he said that Bloomberg stated it clearly that Prime Minister Sheh­baz Sharif had a good experience of talking to financial institutions and bringing economic reforms. “The previ­ous 16- month govern­ment saved the country from default and helped stabilise the Pakistani rupee and even during the tenure of the in­terim government the rupee remained stable. The stability of the ru­pee helped stabilize the country’s economy and positive news were coming with regard to the stock exchange as well,” he maintained. He said all these posi­tive indicators were showing that business con­fidence had increased in the country. He said it was very un­fortunate that anti-state ele­ments which could not digest the country’s progress were stuck to their negative agen­da. “Chinese engineers were attacked in Dasu and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visit­ed Dasu and met Chinese engi­neers and expressed grief over the incident besides offering condolences,” he added.

He said that Minister for Over­seas Pakistanis and Human Re­source Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain went to Wuhan, China, on a special flight that carried mortal remains of five Chinese personnel, who had died in the terror attack and ex­pressed condolences with the Chinese government and offi­cials.

He said that the PML-N gov­ernment had always given im­portance to Pak-China friend­ship.

He said, “After the incident, the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the Chinese Em­bassy and met the Chinese Ambassador. The premier also visited Dasu to boost the mo­rale of the Chinese engineers and give a message that Paki­stan gives high importance to its friendship with China.”

Attaullah Tarar said that the Prime Minister had presided over many meetings on Chinese security and an committee was formed for an inquiry into the Dasu incident as Chinese.

He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had ordered action against RPO Hazara di­vision, DPO Upper Kohsitan district, DPO Lower Kohistan district, Dasu Hydropower Proj­ect Security Director and KP Special Security Unit Comman­dant in fifteen days.

The information minister said that the quick action was a proof that no compromise would be tolerated on the secu­rity of the Chinese in future. He further said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was personal­ly supervising security matters pertaining to Chinese projects and the Chinese and an effec­tive system was being evolved in this regard.

He said, “We pay homage to all those who sacrificed their lives in war against terrorism.”

He said that the Pak armed forces and law enforcement agencies of the country were determined to root out terror­ism and would not allow any­body to harm the country’s peace.

Regarding a Guardian report on extrajudicial killings by In­dia in different countries, 

Attaullah Tarar said that to­day the Foreign Office had also issued a statement in which not only rejected the statement of the Indian defence minister but condemned it. He said that the international community should also take notice of the extrajudicial killings. He said, “ Pakistan is fully alert and ca­pable of defending itself but we want peace in the region.”

He said yesterday he had vis­ited Karachi and met journal­ist organizations including PBA, APNS, CPNE and problems fac­ing the media industry were also discussed. Problems of journalists and media workers had been highlighted and pend­ing dues of media workers and reporters would be paid prior to Eid-ul-Fitr, he added.

He said an all-out effort would be made to ensure payment of pending dues in the next two days as per the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, adding that all approvals in this regard had been completed.

He further said, “Today we would leave for a visit to Saudia Arabia along with Prime Minis­ter Shehbaz Sharif. The delega­tion visiting Saudi Arabia con­sisted of the family members of the primer besides mem­bers of the cabinet. The delega­tion would leave for Saudi Ara­bia on a commercial flight and all members of the delegation would bear their expenses and no burden would be put on the government kitty.”

He said that the delegation besides him included Finance Minister Muhammad Aurang­zeb, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Economics Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema. He hoped that positive news related to this visit would come, adding that besides performing Umrah, special meetings were also ex­pected.

He said being Information Minister he would keep the Pa­kistan media updated about the developments taking place there.